Annual radio maintenance agreement approved by Riley County Law Board

Riley County Law Board members took action on only one item at their Monday meeting, which took very little time to approve unanimously. Riley County Police Captain Jeff Hooper explained to law board members the 2018 police radio maintenance agreement with Ka-Comm. keeps the $35,736 total the same as last year’s.

 Another item discussed briefly and for notification purposes only had to do do with the substation lease agreement involving Riley County and the 1113 Moro Street location, as described by RCPD Director Brad Schoen. Schoen talked about use of the substation on a regular basis, with officers in and out of there consistently and the military liaison crew working out of the Aggieville location–Schoen described it as the {“most heavily used substation.”

Board members also acknowledged Lt. Erin Freidline as one of the 40 International Association of Chiefs of Police Under 40 awards for 2017. Director Schoen described the award as “a big deal,” with the truly international competition–and recipients from all around the world, not just the country.

 Rape numbers continue to increase in the Manhattan area, with the monthly crime report showing another increase over last year’s numbers, and that concerns Riley County Law Board member Usha Reddi. Reddi pointed to an increase in Manhattan from 24 to 31 from 2016 to 2017 for the month of September.

Riley County Attorney Barry Wilkerson, who also serves on the law board, indicated he has been pleased with the progress Via Christi in Manhattan has made, with a lot of commitment on the part of nurses who decide to go through the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program.

A difference in the look of Riley County Police administrators drew the attention of Riley County Law Board Chair Craig Beardsley, with different grooming standards this month of November. RCPD Director Schoen jokingly replied “The FOP’s to blame for it,” but then went on to explain the “Hair for the Holidays” fund-raising effort, in which police officers and administrators can grow facial hair until December in exchange for a donation of $100 to the Cops ’N Kids program. Photo follows!